Girl Meets First Love
by ZMF
Summary: Falling in love for the first time is always hard, but it's even harder when it's your best friend. Maya Hart is discovering that first hand. Do she and Riley belong together, or will Maya end up heartbroken?
1. Chapter 1

Riley walked through the open doorway of the art room, a Styrofoam take out container in her hands and a dejected look on her face. Earlier there had been an art showing, but hours had passed; all the attendees, and even the art teacher, had long since left. Only three other people remained inside John Quincy Adams Middle School, Riley's parents and her best friend since early childhood, Maya Hart. They had stayed while Riley sprinted to the Nighthawk Diner in a desperate attempt to make Maya's mother comprehend the gravity of not attending, of letting her daughter down once again. She had tried her best, yet Riley had come back alone.

She just didn't understand. How could Maya's mother, a woman who claimed to love her daughter, behave so callously? Maya's father was gone, and her mother might as well have abandoned her too. On the other hand, Riley's parents were always there, supporting her every step of the way in her slow march toward adulthood and independence. That, Riley thought, is what parents are supposed to be. She gazed past the adults, locking her eyes firmly on Maya's painting. It was then she fully understood why the depicted diner was empty except for one solitary waitress who was only half-there, placed far away and hanging off the edge of the canvas, extant but vanished.

Riley ambled toward her parents, Cory and Topanga Matthews, and they turned to see Maya's mother not standing behind them. The Matthews considered Maya to be a part of their family, and they knew she was wounded, even if she stubbornly refused to admit it. Riley broke the silent, somber mood by speaking, "Thank you for staying with Maya, but could we have a few minutes?" Cory slowly nodded, and he and his wife walked out into the hallway, closing the door behind them.

"I couldn't get her to come," Riley admitted, her voice filled with disappointment. She put the container down on a nearby desk. "You were right. I expect too much of people. I expect them to do the right thing, but —"

"No, you were right," Maya interrupted, her voice soft but certain. "I showed my work. People liked it. It made me feel like I could be something someday, with or without my mother."

Riley smiled. "You will be. You are now."

"Thank you, Riley." Maya leaned toward her best friend and wrapped her arms around her. The comfort of her friend had always felt wonderful, and she'd hugged Riley what seemed like a million times before. They'd held hands; they'd slept in the same bed during sleepovers. Closeness was nothing new, but something was different. Her heart was beating faster and faster, and she felt a fluttery warmth growing in the pit of her stomach. Whatever was happening, Maya thought, it felt equal parts beautiful and terrifying. Maya broke the embrace. "Thank you," she repeated and gently sighed.

Riley walked over to the desk and popped open the container. "Do you want half a tuna melt?" she asked as she turned back around.

"You know why she gave this to you?" Maya replied. "She knows it's my favorite thing there. She knew that you'd share with me."

"I'd be happy to give you the whole thing," Riley said, concern in her voice.

"I know you would." Maya looked again at her painting, this time smiling. "You always do. But I'll be just fine with half."

Her concern alleviated, Riley returned the smile, and the two girls sat down to share their food. Maya didn't understand what happened earlier; it was as though something had chosen that moment to awaken inside her. As she ate, Maya kept sneaking glances at Riley. Initially, it was to prove that everything was normal, but later because she knew the night had effected a change, and she just couldn't help herself. Riley didn't look any different than she had at the start of the day, yet nothing about her was the same. Her hair was more lovely, her brown eyes were deeper, and she seemed to glow like a horde of fireflies on a moonless night. Whatever was happening, Maya was beaming.


	2. Chapter 2

Maya laid in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, still unsure what to make of the storm brewing inside her. She'd heard of crushes, and she knew about romance. Still, they weren't the kind of things she often meditated on. Riley turned into a stammering ball of mush whenever she tried speaking to Lucas or any other boy she'd been interested in, and that's when she could summon up the nerve to speak at all. Becoming boy crazy and anxious, that's what was supposed to happen to an adolescent girl, Maya thought.

Sure, she'd never experienced anything of the sort; however, she rationalized, the right time and the right boys just hadn't come for her. It wasn't like she was unaware of when boys were handsome. Lucas was good-looking, and she understood why Riley might like him. Maya just felt absolutely no pull toward him, or any other boy for that matter. But being gay? Pfft. Riley was beautiful, but she'd always been able to talk to Riley, no awkwardness at all. Whatever she was feeling, it couldn't be romantic—no, romance was a different beast entirely. Clearly, she finally decided, she was just very thankful to have such an empathetic and kind-hearted friend.

The storm guided to a lull, she laid her head against the pillow and was out in seconds.

Maya found herself lying face down in the middle of a cornfield. She raised her face out of the soil. The sky was dark, the wind howled, rain came down in a torrent, bolts of lightning tore through the sky, and thunder roared in the distance. She climbed to her knees and questioned aloud, "Where am I?" No answer was forthcoming. The field was everything, and everything was the field. It extended far into the distance, seemingly enduring to infinity. Without another option, she began walking.

Hours passed, but she pressed forward, her body shivering as it was drenched by the cold rain. Bats flew by, inches from her face, and she heard the sound of vultures hissing as they circled overhead. Every step she took seemed only to push her further into the desolation. Her body exhausted and aching, Maya dropped to her knees in surrender and began to cry. Then, from far in the distance, she heard a yell. "Maya, come up here! Come to me!" The voice was unmistakable; Riley was calling for her. Summoning a second wind, Maya fought up to her feet, now seeing a tall hill off in the distance. A rainbow emerged from beneath her feet and ended right at its peak.

So Maya marched on, weary but relentless. She couldn't give up, she thought. Riley needed her and she needed Riley. And when she reached the steep hill, she fought up it on her hands and knees. Finally, hypothermic and covered in mud, victory! She sat atop the hill. The weather calmed, the sky turned a pure blue, and the sun came out to warm her. Her body bathing in the rainbow light, even though the place was still unknown, she knew somehow that her trek was over. She heard the sound of footsteps creeping up behind her, Riley.

Riley crouched down, pushed Maya's hair behind her ears, and delicately rubbed her cheek against her best friend's face. "It's scary out there, but I knew you'd make it." She kissed Maya's cheek. "I love you, Maya."

"I'd fight through anything for you," Maya replied. "I love you, Riley. I've always loved you." She turned around, took Riley's hand, and kissed it as they both rose to their feet. Maya ran her muddy hands through Riley's hair. "You are so beautiful," she said as she closed her eyes, leaned toward Riley's face, and awoke.

Maya jolted up, covered in a cold sweat, and looked at her alarm clock. It was 3:32 AM, and she was in love with Riley Matthews.


	3. Chapter 3

Maya Hart had never been a morning person. The early morning lethargy was especially pronounced when she'd already been awake for three and a half hours before she reached the Matthews' apartment building, her mind still stuck on her best friend. At home before she left and on the whole subway ride there, she was sitting and thinking, just sitting and thinking. Still, Riley depended on her being at the apartment door every day at seven o'clock on the dot, and Maya wasn't planning to ever disappoint her. But when she looked up at the building that day, she couldn't bring herself to walk inside and get buzzed up. Instead, she sat down on the stoop, and her mind again began to wander.

Life as she knew it had just been radically changed. How long, she wondered, had she carried around feelings for Riley before they became clear? She recalled almost a month prior. They sat in the hall of the middle school. Riley was distressed, her head lain on Maya's shoulder, and she said, "I wish the world was just me and you." Those words had given Maya chills. She truly did just want to be with her best friend, soothing her hurts and giving her contentment everlasting.

Then there was the school dance. Riley had looked so gorgeous in her turquoise and black dress, Maya thought, and just one slow dance might have shaken the foundations of her world. Moment after moment flooded back into her consciousness, and Maya was left wondering a single question: How did it take so long to see what was happening? Love bubbled up slowly. Though it felt so sudden, it had always been there, readying to break through and overwhelm.

The minutes ticked by, 7:10 and then 7:15. Maya only snapped out of her daze when she felt arms wrap around her. It was Riley.

"Maya, why didn't you come up?" She didn't wait for a response. "Are you okay? I was so worried when you weren't there. We all were."

"I'm okay, Riles," Maya replied softly. She wasn't okay, but she was getting there. Riley's shampoo and body wash caused her to smell of ripe strawberries, and just inhaling that scent always made Maya happy. She sighed. It was yet another thing she should've noticed. "I just lost track of time."

"You're not worried about the science test we're having today, are you?" Riley sounded slightly irritated. "I've told you over and over that you don't give yourself enough credit. You're smart, and I know you listen in class. I'm sure you'll do fine."

Maya turned her head to look at Riley and tried to sound sure of herself. "Yeah. Of course I will." She hated feeling like she couldn't tell Riley the truth. The most essential part of their friendship had always been how they could talk about absolutely anything. No matter how serious or how silly, when something was on Maya's mind, Riley was always the first person to hear about it. But Riley couldn't know about the lovesickness which was eating away at Maya's soul. That knowledge, Maya imagined, would change their friendship forever. How could it not?

Riley rose to her feet and clasped Maya's hand, pulling her up. Using her free hand to brush the blonde tresses out out of her friend's tired face, Riley whispered comforting words, "Everything will be wonderful. I promise." She delicately kissed Maya's cheek. "Let's get going. We shouldn't be late." Maya shivered.


	4. Chapter 4

Riley's grasp of Maya's hand continued until they walked through the front door of the school. Being clingy was nothing new for Riley, especially when she was worried about something or someone, but the degree was inordinate. Regardless, Maya hadn't said a word about it. Her heart was palpitating; the display of affection had taken her from sleepyheaded and contemplative to bursting with energy. When Riley's hand did at last open up, she ached to hold it again. Their hands, she realized, fit together like adjoining pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

The two made their way into the first class of the day, Mr. Matthews teaching history. Cory was the kindest man Maya had ever known, yet she felt herself becoming uneasy in his presence. It was as if she believed a single glance might see into her heart and apprehend her secret, a secret she wasn't ready to tell. But despite her fears, things continued as normal. As he did every day, Cory began the class by writing a note on the chalkboard which pertained to his lesson. That day's message: "Nothing is so much to be feared as fear." - Henry David Thoreau

He turned back toward the class and began teaching, "'Nothing is so much to be feared as fear.' Or, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt put it, 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' What does that mean? Why should we be afraid of fear? It's because Thoreau and Roosevelt knew that fear can paralyze us, leaving us unwilling or unable to do what needs to be done. But they also knew that we can overcome it. Does anyone know how?"

Farkle Minkus, the nerdy boy who sat behind Riley, raised his hand as he was keen to do whenever a question was asked.

"Yes, Farkle?" Mr. Matthews called on him.

"Through courage, sir," Farkle replied.

"Courage!" Cory affirmed. "Courage is the ability to look into the eyes of fear and keep moving forward. There isn't a single person living today who has never been touched by fear, but frightened people often accomplish remarkable things.

On September 11, 2001, shortly before most of you were born, terrorists hijacked four planes and used them as weapons to kill 2,977 people. Their attack was devastating, and that day has affected every single second of American history since. What does this have to do with fear and courage? Courage saved countless lives that day. Though they knew the World Trade Center buildings were severely damaged and could collapse, fire fighters, police, and medical personnel rushed to the scene and helped every single person they could. The passengers on board United Airlines' Flight 93, though they knew they were going to die, fought back against the terrorists and caused the plane to crash into an empty field. Their actions, too, saved an untold amount of lives."

Though they were a talkative class who sometimes expressed a habit of interrupting their teacher, a respectful silence fell over the room. The children were engrossed in the subject matter. Maya in particular felt the lesson could have been made just for her. The problem, ultimately, is that fear was succeeding in paralyzing her. If Riley rejected her, pushed her away, it would destroy everything. Her other friends, the familial bond she felt with Cory and Topanga. Everything she valued was tied to Riley, and Riley was smitten with Lucas Friar, the boy who sat directly behind Maya.

As the class period drew to a close, Mr. Matthews said, "Courage doesn't have to mean saving people in burning buildings or sacrificing yourself to save others. Courage can be something as simple as standing up for someone who is being bullied, being honest when it's easier to lie, or being a friend to someone who isn't considered cool. Every one of you has the ability to be courageous, to be a hero or heroine, to make the world a better place by standing up to fear. So your homework for tonight is to do something courageous."

When the bell rang, Riley stood and looked over at Maya. "Ooh, I can't wait to do something courageous. Maybe I can wrestle bears, jump out of airplanes, or become a ninja!" Riley flailed her arms around excitedly and struck a kokutsu dachi karate stance.

Maya laughed. Riley had always been her weird friend, and she found the eccentric behavior adorable. "Well, I'm glad you're sticking to realistic options, but maybe you could consider working your way up to fighting grizzlies."

"Like what?" Riley inquired as she and Maya stepped into the hallway.

Suddenly, the girls' arms were grabbed, and they were pulled in opposite directions. Riley went to the right with Lucas, and Maya was pulled to the left by Farkle.

"Hello, pretty lady," Farkle said as they stood before a group of yellow lockers.

Maya eyed Farkle confusedly. "Hm, you're surprisingly strong for such a little man."

"Why thank you." Farkle smiled flirtatiously. "I have been working over the rookies in chess club, you know. Moving those pieces around really works on the guns." He flexed.

"Impressive," Maya replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "So what are you after, Farkle? If it's a date, that is so not happening." Maya turned her head sideways and watched as Riley and Lucas talked. It was evident that Lucas was leading the conversation, but Riley looked surprisingly comfortable. Maya was envious.

"You love Riley," Farkle stated matter of factly. His saying so shook Maya, and she struggled not to show it.

"Of course I do. She's my best friend."

Farkle laughed quietly. "No, you're in love with her. Farkle is very observant of his women, and he sees how you look at her."

Maya stared at him slack-jawed, wondering if it was, in fact, so obvious.

He continued, "I've seen it for months. I just didn't know if you were aware, and I don't like to ruin happy surprises. But the way you smiled when you held her hand —"

Worry and hostility welled-up in Maya. She snapped at him, "What's your point, Farkle?"

"Calm down. Calm down. Farkle doesn't want to hurt you." Maya's expression softened. "I'd just never seen you smile like that, like every part of you was smiling and not just your face. The way you look at her, I just think you should know that she looks at you the same way." Farkle's little smile turned into a broad grin. "She loves you, Maya. She has for a long time."

Maya's heart fluttered and she smiled. "You know this ruins your little fantasy of baby Minkii, right?"

Farkle's expression turned serious. "It's my act of courage, Maya, telling you the truth even when it's hard." He smiled again. "And a boy can still dream, can't he?"

"Thank you, Farkle." Maya wrapped her arms around him and picked him up in a hug.

The two separated, and Farkle wandered off down the hallway. Though the day had begun with large challenges, Maya was beginning to believe Riley's early morning pep talk about everything turning out wonderful. She leaned against her locker and sighed peacefully, not caring that she'd be late for her next class. A comfortable feeling pervaded the air, letting her believe that tardiness, like everything else, was going to be just fine. Her eyes turned toward Riley and Lucas. He spoke words Maya couldn't hear, and he smiled as he walked away. And when Lucas rounded a corner and vanished, Riley turned and barreled toward Maya, excitedly squealing.

"Lucas asked me on a date!" She twirled around a complete three-hundred-sixty degrees and, filled with frantic energy, began jumping. "I took your advice and started simple! I said yes! I'm going on a date! The world is amazing! Woohoo!"


	5. Chapter 5

The news left Maya brokenhearted. In an instant she'd fallen from a mountain and landed in a pit filled with gloominess of the worst sort. Though she kept her chin up long enough to feign happiness for Riley, the rest of the school day was spent in a depressive stupor. The science test might as well have been written in hieroglyphics, as she couldn't maintain focus long enough to even read the questions. And hours later, when the final bell had rung, Maya left without speaking to a soul. The girl she loved going out with another, the future seemed as bleak as it ever had.

But emotions were different in the Matthews' home. Topanga was still at work when Riley and her father dined on a meal of reheated spaghetti. As Cory finished his food and patted his full stomach, Riley looked at him with a cheerful expression.

"Daddy," Riley said, trying to sound as sweet as possible, "I've been asked on a date."

Cory turned his head toward her. "Well, you'll just have to tell him no." He kicked his feet up on the kitchen table, stretched his arms out, and sighed in relief. "I'm glad we've taken care of that."

"Actually," Riley spoke hesitantly, "you remember how you were telling us to do something courageous?" Cory's eyes grew wide and he began biting his fingernails. "I was just so motivated by it that I already said yes."

"You said yes? You've already agreed to a date?" He nervously laughed as his voice grew louder and louder. "Don't you understand how dangerous boys are? He'll lie about being sick, and you'll bring him some bancha tea. Then the two of you will pretend to play basketball, shooting rolled up socks into a laundry basket. You'll see his Ninja Turtles underpants. Ninja Turtles underpants! He'll start laughing like some sort of deranged lunatic, but you'll still marry him and have two of his kids! Then you'll move out of state, and I won't see you until Christmas fourteen years later! It's absolute madness!" His eyes darted wildly from side to side, and his voice grew quieter as he mumbled, "Absolute madness".

The intercom buzzed, "Hey Riley, it's Lucas."

Riley opened the door for her date. Cory stood up, pointed at the doorway, and growled, "Friar!"

As the pointing continued, Riley hugged her father. "Daddy, it's just a first date, completely innocent." She patted him on the head. "I absolutely swear that I won't play basketball, buy bancha tea, or be out too late." She kissed his forehead before merrily skipping out the door and heading into the hallway.

"Friar!" Cory bellowed as the door closed. Shaking his fists at the ceiling, he talked to himself, "I knew I should have dumped that kid in El Paso."


	6. Chapter 6

"Well that's not the reaction I was hoping for." Lucas laughed. "Is your dad always so on edge?" he inquired as he took Riley's hand and walked her down the stairs.

The thought of dating Lucas had kept Riley excited all day; however, she couldn't help noticing and being put off by how strange it felt to hold his hand. She imagined his was an extra-large catcher's mitt and hers was the baseball devoured by it. Riley struggled to ignore the issue and thought for a moment. "When it comes to me, yes."

"I didn't know I was so scary," he said with a smirk.

"You aren't," Riley replied and shook her head, "at least not to me. I think he expects boys to corrupt me somehow, turn me into someone I'm not."

Lucas smiled affectionately. "Then I suppose he should be happy to know that I like you just the way you are," he said as Riley blushed.

Their date impromptu and their pockets empty, the couple spent the evening walking the Manhattan streets. Hours passed, a full moon rose in the night's sky, and Riley realized she'd done little more than listen to Lucas' voice. She had gleaned information such as the names and histories of each of the twenty-four horses his family once owned, why his parents had moved to New York, and how his quiet life in Texas compared to living in the densely populated megalopolis of New York City. She looked into his eyes and listened to his words, but she still couldn't open up to him.

Her words, when they came, were graceless and brief. At first she believed it was trepidation for her to fight through, yet her voice stayed quiet even as she acclimated to the situation. Something was amiss, and being with Lucas felt wrong instead of wonderful. It was as if a barrier had been erected deep with her soul, keeping her apart from the boy she'd crushed on since she first laid eyes on him.

They rounded a corner and again stood in front of the Matthews' apartment building. The stars shined across the heavens, and the two of them were illuminated by streetlamps and the light seeping through the window blinds of surrounding apartments. And as they stood, Lucas pushed Riley's hair away from her face, and he stared deeply into her eyes.

"I had a wonderful time tonight," Lucas said, holding his green-eyed gaze.

"I'm glad," Riley responded meekly, lowering her head and focusing her eyes on the sidewalk. A few moments later, she raised her head to see Lucas's eyes still piercing into her. "You're going to kiss me now, aren't you?" she asked.

"Mm-hmm," Lucas replied.

He placed his hands on her waist, leaned in, and kissed her. It was a moment she'd imagined would feel as if fireworks were shooting off inside her, absolute euphoria. Instead, it felt hollow, meaningless, improper. Not a thing had felt right since he took her hand, and she realized the world she'd believed in was a fiction. Reality was different, more complex and more beautiful than dreams. And for the first time in her life, she was truly conscious.

She pushed him away. "Lucas," she started with a voice more confident than it had been all evening, "you're a really great guy, and I hope we can still be friends. I just don't think we should date anymore."

His face scrunched up in confusion, Lucas asked, "What? Why?"

"It's just that I—I'm in love with someone else. I'm sorry it took me until now to realize it."

Riley turned and walked to the door, swinging it open. "Who?" Lucas called out.

She turned toward him, brave enough to speak it for the first time, "Maya. I'm in love with Maya Hart, and I hope she loves me too!"

Lucas watched as his date closed the door behind her. Disappointed, he sighed and spoke to himself, "You go get her, Riley. You go get her."


	7. Chapter 7

Life was full of new discoveries. Though many of them could be forseen, Riley never expected to find herself in love with her best friend. Her parents had always concerned themselves with boys and how they would affect her as she grew up. It didn't seem as if they'd ever considered the possibility that their daughter would fall in love with a girl, and they certainly hadn't imagined that girl would be Maya. Television, movies, books, media in general, it was all littered with stories about boys and girls falling in love. Seldom did the romances deviate from that format. The possibility of being gay, bisexual, or anything other than strictly heterosexual, never seemed real. Nonetheless, it was, and she was dwelling in it.

Riley took a deep breath as she stepped through the door of apartment twenty-six. Her mother immediately greeted her with a bear hug.

"Mom," Riley whined, "I've only been gone for a few hours!"

Topanga eyed her daughter sternly. "And you'll never be gone again, right? You'll stay like this forever?"

"I'm growing up," Riley protested. "I have to make the world mine. Dates are going to happen. They have to. They just won't be with Lucas."

Placing her hands on Riley's shoulders and beginning to shake her violently, Topanga screeched, "Why? What did that boy do to you?"

"Nothing! Please stop shaking me," Riley cried out as her mother's grip released. "He was actually really sweet. I just found out that some people are better off as friends. Maybe others won't be."

"Oh," Topanga said, uttering a sigh of relief and not catching the hint. "Well, it's been a long day. Maybe you should get ready for bed."

Riley nodded, dizzily stumbled to her bedroom, and went inside.

Cory leapt off the couch and high-fived his wife. "No boys! Oh happy day! Oh happy day!"

Her head in a swirl, Riley flipped on her bedroom light. She noticed a blonde-haired girl sitting on the window seat, a sketch pad in her lap and her head turned to watch the stars. And as Riley's vision cleared up, she processed who it was.

"It didn't go well?" Maya asked rhetorically, having eavesdropped on the earlier family conversation.

"He kissed me," Riley said bashfully. "He kissed me. It was supposed to be this big, huge moment, but all I could think about was you."

"Me?" Maya replied, turning to face Riley.

"You," Riley confirmed, feeling she had her opportunity. "I thought about the way your eyes sparkle, and how you look with your makeup off, when I can see the cute little freckles on your cheeks." She sounded flustered. "And I realized that I wanted to be kissing you instead."

"Good," Maya spoke gently. She stood and walked toward her best friend. Her hand touched Riley's face, exploring it as a blind person might, memorizing how its every detail felt against her fingers. "You shouldn't be kissing him. You should be kissing me." She leaned in and kissed Riley passionately, tasting her strawberry lips. Maya's aggressiveness was startling, but soon Riley began to return the kiss, her friend's lips intoxicating her like a heady wine.

"Maya," Riley whispered, her heart ablaze and her breath coming in short gasps. She had felt the fireworks go off. They both had.

Maya stared into her best friend's eyes. "I crawled in your window tonight because I'm in love with you, Riles. I'm in love with you, and now I have the courage to say it." She wrapped her arms around Riley. "I know we're young and have a long way to go, but you and I belong together. I've always been able to talk to you, to make you laugh, and I have always wanted to take care of you."

Riley took a deep breath. "I love you too." Her cheeks reddened. "I don't want anybody else. Please be my girlfriend."

The best friends, now lovers, kissed again with fervency. And when their lips separated, Riley took Maya's hand. It felt like a yes. It felt perfect.

"You weren't my first kiss," Riley said, "but you're the first one that mattered."

Maya kissed her beloved's forehead. "And I always will be." She separated her hand from Riley's and headed toward the window. "The world's going to be different now. Are you ready for it?"

"With you, I'm ready for anything," Riley affirmed. "I'll see you at seven o'clock?" she asked.

Maya blew a kiss. "Always, darling. Always."


End file.
